Sure enough, with 7 minutes and 30 seconds left at the fourth quarter, The Sixer's hit the Knicks with a 6:0 spurt and the point difference immediately widened to 26 points. The game basically entered garbage time.
D'Antoni seized the time to add a timeout, one is to rest the main players and other is to train the young players, hoping that a miracle might happen.
At this point, The Knicks basically gave their surrender. So the Sixer's coach reciprocated and pulled Andre Miller and Samuel Dalembert out of the game. As for Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala, they didn't need play in the fourth quarter at all. This leaves only the 2nd year rookie Thaddeus Young from the starting lineup.
As a new head coach for the Knicks this season, Mike D'Antoni needs to prove himself despite the managements willingness to rot this season or the players will not respect him in the long run or worse, like the fans becoming disgusted with him.
"That's it, play as I said, come on!" D'Antoni encouragement after arranging the tactics did not seem to arouse the enthusiasm of the players and Zach Randolph was the first to express his disdain in his heart by going back early to the locker room.
The bench players were just about to play, but the team manager came to D'Antoni with surprised eyes and took out his mobile phone.
"It's for you Mike"
D'Antoni saw the information, and immediately looked at the devilishly handsome white haired player in the corner.
At this time, Dante was calm in the corner but his heart was both nervous and excited at the same time. He doesn't know wether he will be allowed to play at this time. It seems that this can only be left to fate.
[Head coach D'Antoni, send Dante Strife for the rest of the fourth quarter and let him go up to try. You can understand that this is my request or order!]
The news shocked D'Antoni. It seems that the boss is quite optimistic about this white haired guy. But D'Antoni recalled that it seems this guy hasn't played a single proper basketball game in his life.
Sure enough, The boss doesn't understand basketball!
Anyway, this is the boss' decision. Even if he loses this time, at least he fulfilled the boss' wishes.
"Wait!. . . . ."
Except for Randolph who already returned to the locker room, everyone looked at the D'Antoni at the same time.
"Strife, you replace Collins, go up and play the 3rd position! Remember....forget it...try not to make mistakes and have fun in the game." D'Antoni explained helplessly with a smile.
With such a player, what else can he say?
However, Dante's appearance undoubtedly shocked everyone.
The Knicks fans are thinking: Who is this handsome young player?
The fans didn't know Dante at all, including the on-site commentator and the media commentator.
On-site commentator: "We saw that the Knicks sent a handsome white-haired player.....uh....sorry...I need to check the player's information! His name is Dante Strife you rookie in his teens who is also...undrafted!"
Media Commentator: "This Dante Strife, wearing the no.7 jersey, has never played in a regular game. The Knicks seem to have no one available. With a height of 1.96 meters, a weight of 93 kilograms and a wingspan of 2.08 meters seems to be static data. Not bad, but..... the scouting report clearly says that he used to be a model and he has never played a formal basketball game in his entire life, Let's see what happens next!"
Fans are also talking about this.
"They actually sent a model to play, do they think this is a fashion show?!"
"Coach Thomas' dismissal was a mistake. I really don't understand why Alexander chose D'antoni."
"That's right, even if he doesn't know how to employ people, he actually sent this kid. It seems that D'Antoni's brain is broken. Send him to the hospital quick!"
"The Knicks can already announce that are out of the playoffs this year in advance."
With the whistle of the referee, The two sides resumed the fourth quarter.
Dante felt a little hot in his body but because of the system, this feeling was not nervousness, but....excitement!
"Look, that kid seems to be stupid from nervousness!" said one the Sixer's fans with a laugh.
At this time on the field Dante's teammates are Anthony Roberson and Nate Robinson as guards with Wilson Chandler and David Lee as forwards like him.
Anyone with little basketball sense, can find out that by sending such a small lineup, D'Antoni intends to make the team run more.
Roberson was the first to get the ball for the Rockets after the timeout, when he took the ball from the referee's hand, Dante's heart suddenly felt hot.
This is the moment that he has dreamed of and longed for, so he has to live up to it.
After passing the ball to Robinson, who quickly came pass the half court. Robinson was surprised to find that Dante signaled to pass the ball. Robinson thought he just wants to transition the ball and then pass it to him again. So without thinking about it, he gave the ball to Dante.
Robinson was surprised again because he saw Dante make a shooting motion.
"What is he doing? Damn does he want to shoot?"
"Is this a disease caused by never playing a formal game? The first time he caught the ball after the start of the offensive round, someone passed the ball so he shot? If this ball scores, I will eat my sneakers!"
Before Dante even made a shot, fans were already cursing him.
With shocked eyes all around him, Dante seeing that there was no one in front him, decisively shot from 1 meter beyond the 3 point line. The basket ball rose into the air with a beautiful high arc.
Teammates: .....(OoO)!
Coaches: .....(OoO)!
Opponents: ....(OoO)!
Fans:.....(OoO)!
Commentator:.....(OoO)!
Before the ball came close to the basket, Dante put on a smile and already turned around. This move immediately told everyone that he was either a lunatic or a genius. Either way, everyone will find out in just a moment. The ball seemed to be in slow motion in the air while everyone eyes and mouth wide open. There was pin drop silence all around the arena.
'Shua'
After hearing the sound, Dante continued advancing towards their half of the court. He already knew that the ball definitely scored. As evidenced by his [must score shots] decreasing by 1.
D'Antoni: "What the hell! Strife don't...hesitate to do that again next time. Get back to defense!"
As D'Antoni was about to scold Dante for doing such an unreasonable shot, He quickly changed his words of scolding and turned them into encouragement. As expected of a NBA head coach, very flexible personality.